Contour pillow

ABSTRACT

A pillow is of rectangular form having front and rear rolls (17,18) at its longer sides and side rolls at its shorter sides, upper and lower surfaces (15, 16) of the pillow having respective large, central recessed areas (19, 20) between the front and rear rolls, the rolls being interrupted by minor recesses (21, 22 21a, 22a30, 31) extending from respective sides of the pillow into the central recessed areas of the upper and lower surfaces respectively, the front and rear rolls forming on each surface a central main buttress and together with the side rolls forming four corner buttresses, side buttresses also being formed between pairs of adjacent corner buttresses respectively, the side buttresses tapering in width and height away from their respective associated sides of the pillow into a central recessed area (19, 20).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to pillows,particularly pillows formed of deformable moulded rubber or plasticsmaterial, and has as its object the provision of a pillow in aconvenient and effective form. As used herein, the word `pillow`includes analogous items, such as cushions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a pillow havingupper and lower surfaces and at least one peripheral surfacetherebetween, at least one of the upper and lower surfaces having acentral recessed area and respective first buttress portions at oppositesides thereof extending to said at least one peripheral surface, a pairof second buttress portions each extending to said at least oneperipheral surface being disposed adjacent to and at respective oppositesides of one of the first buttress portions and spaced therefrom byrespective further recessed areas extending from said central recessedarea to said at least one peripheral edge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a pillow of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-section on the line 4--4 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-section on the line 5--5 of FIG. 1, butshowing an alternative underside form of the pillow,

FIG. 6 is a cross-section on the line 6--6 of FIG. 1,

FIGS. 7 and 8 are fragmentary enlarged cross-sections on the line 4--4showing how the pillow alters its shape, in use,

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view of the upper surface of the pillowschematically showing various areas defined thereon; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of pillowformed of two parts secured together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The pillow shown in the drawings is moulded from latex material or softpolyurethane either as one piece or in two identical, upper and lowerhalves, which are adhered together thereafter. The pillow is intendedfor use as an underpillow, with a top pillow of a user's own choice,i.e. foam, feather or man-made fibre filled, being used on top of theunderpillow. Thus the user's head is only indirectly received on theunderpillow.

The pillow is of generally rectangular shape in plan, having a straightrear edge or side surface 10, shorter straight transverse edge or sidesurfaces 11, 12 respectively, and a front edge or side surface 13 whichis concave and thus defines a bright 14. The depth of the pillow issmall as compared to the depth of conventional top pillows. The pillowhas upper and lower surfaces 15, 16 respectively.

In alternative constructions of the pillow, the front and rear edgescould both be straight, or both concave, and moreover either or both ofthe surfaces 15, 16 could be slightly convex instead of flat.

The pillow has front and rear rolls 17, 18 respectively, and also siderolls, of generally ovoid shape, i.e. with generally flattened upper andlower surfaces. Respective identical, central, large concave recessedareas 19, 20 are formed in the upper and lower surfaces and as thepillow is in fact symmetrical about a plane midway through it andparallel to upper and lower surfaces, i.e., through the front and rearrolls. The recesses overlie one another in a direction normal to thesurfaces 15, 16. With the recessed areas 19, 20 the term `large` is usedin comparison in surface area with the area of load (head) applied tothe upper surface, in use.

On both its upper and lower surface the front roll 17 has a pair ofsymmetrically, longitudinally spaced apart minor recesses 21, 22 whicheffectively extend from the central recessed area to the front edgesurface 13 of the pillow. The front roll is thus divided into a middlesection or central buttress 23 and outer corner sections or majorbuttresses 24, 25 respectively. The inner boundary of each of thesethree sections of the front roll is convexly curved, as can be seen inFIG. 1. The rear roll 18 is similarly arranged on its upper and lowersurface having a middle section or central buttress 26 and corner ormajor buttresses 27, 28 respectively, with minor recesses 21a, 22atherebetween.

As stated, the buttresses 24, 25 and 27, 28 are corner buttresses, andthey are in fact formed partly by the respective side rolls as theyextend along the shorter sides of the pillow. On its upper and lowersurfaces each side roll has respective side or minor buttresses 29extending inwardly from the side surface. Each side buttress is ofgenerally triangular shape, tapering down away from its side surface andalso towards its adjacent corner buttresses. Additionally the buttressis at the level of the corner buttresses at its junction with the sidesurface, but it slopes towards the central recessed area and thusreduces in height until it runs into said central recessed area.

Although, as described, the upper and lower buttresses 29 are identical,the lower buttresses can be slightly less wide, as indicated at 29a bythe dashed lines in FIG. 1, and as shown in FIG. 5. Moreover, as shownin FIG. 4, the lower central buttress could be of shorter length thanthe upper central buttress for the front and/or rear of the pillow.

Between the buttresses 29 and the front and rear corner buttressesadjacent thereto are respective further minor recesses 30, 31 which likethe recessed areas 21, 22 effectively extend from the central recessedarea, to the respective side surfaces 11, 12. Each minor recess 21, 21a,22, 22a, 30 and 31 widens outwardly, i.e. away from its associated sidesurface.

In use, with the pillow used either way up, a conventional top pillow isplaced on the top surface of the underpillow and the user's head actsthrough the top pillow and onto the recessed area and/or rear roll ofthe underpillow with the user's neck similarly acting through the toppillow onto the supporting, i.e. non-recessed area of the underpillow,namely the front roll.

The manner in which the pillow supports the head and neck of a user willnow be explained, firstly generally with reference to FIGS. 1, 7 and 8,and then in more detail with reference to FIG. 9.

In position 1 shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, the user's neck is supported bythe front roll, while the back of the head or the side of the face (ifthe user is lying on the side) occupies area around 1 with the top ofthe head being supported by the rear roll. The central area is slightlyconcave and this is accentuated by the weight of the user's head. Theside buttresses 29 shown in FIG. 1 taper, slope and are curved,providing support as the user's head moves laterally from the transversemidline of the pillow, usually in an arc to positions 2, 3 or 4.

In the second position, the neck remains supported by the front roll,whilst the back of the head or side of the face lies in the recess at 2.The back of the head begins to be supported by the central buttresses.The curved shape facilitates free arcuate movement of the headlaterally. A `graduated cradling effect` is now starting atapproximately point `x` (FIGS. 7 and 8), as the lateral part of thefront roll depresses towards the surface of the bed, or other article onwhich the pillow rests, due to the weight of the user's neck, asindicated by the arrows in FIG. 7.

Position 3 shows the neck now at `y` (FIGS. 7 and 8) with maximum`cradling effect`, in conjunction with corner buttress `z`. The back ofthe head or the side of the face is at 3 with the top of the head nowobtaining more support from the central buttress. The recess narrowstowards the side of the pillow due to the curved shape of the centraland corner buttresses, which provide gradually increasing support as thehead moves towards position 4 so preventing the head slipping off theend of the pillow. A further advantage is that if the sleeper is facinglaterally (i.e. with the side of the face on the pillow) there is a muchreduced tendency for the pillow lateral to the side of the face toimpinge upon the sleeper's nose.

The upper recess areas 2, 3 and area 4 in particular tend to retain thehead in the same plane relative to the plane of the surface of the bed,further aided by the lower surface asymmetric recess 30 or 31 (FIG. 5),which provides an increased cradling effect for the head towards thetransverse centre line of the pillow. This combined recess effect avoidselevation of the head during extreme arcuate movement or lateralpositions of the head (if user lying to either side of the pillowmidline) in relation to the plane of the bed surface.

Recent medical research has suggested an increased risk of a sleeperdeveloping the sleep apnoea syndrome, where the sleeper's head flexesexcessively in relation to the neck during sound sleep. The underpillowof the invention, when used with a top pillow of e.g. latex foam,man-made fibre, feather or down, will maintain the head in an optimumposition relative to the neck and also correctly support the neck andits position relative to the shoulders.

The provision of a major recess in the upper surface of the pillow aswell as in the lower surface allows natural deformation of the toppillow to be readily accommodated by the underpillow whilst stillproviding sufficient support.

Considering now the various areas of the pillow in detail, the recessesof the pillow are concerned with supporting loads perpendicular to thehorizontal plane of the pillow, and in addition loads acting and movingin planes parallel to the plane of the pillow. A single, central majorrecess with eight peripheral minor recesses is provided in each of theupper and lower surfaces of the pillow. These recesses are concernedwith load support and transfer across surface planes of the pillow, inconjunction with a top pillow.

The major recesses 19, 20 gradually reduce in depth towards the frontand rear rolls and also towards the lateral sides of the pillow byvirtue of the varying cross-sectional shape of the central pad of thepillow. The major recesses lead into the minor recesses by relativelywide openings which narrow progressively towards the peripheral part ofeach minor recess in the horizontal plane and also in the vertical plane(due to progressive thickening of the pad in the floor of opposing upperand lower surface minor recesses towards the periphery). Both major andminor recesses progressively widen away from the surface plane of thepillow, i.e. they are upwardly (outwardly) widening.

All upper and lower surface recesses narrow towards each other, i.e.towards the horizontal mid plane of the pillow. The minor recessesbetween buttresses and also between rolls and buttresses functionsynergistically to provide variation in vertical and horizontal loadsupport (cradling) and transfer.

As described previously, the corner and side buttresses have a variableconvex shape outwards from the horizontal plane of the pillow, with agentle taper towards their apex, to be dome-shaped. They thus provide agradually variable material counterforce to perpendicular loads movingin a horizontal plane. There is synergism of function between buttressesor a buttress and a roll in conjunction with the recesses. Buttressesare gently spread apart by simultaneous perpendicular and horizontalplane loads, so the head and neck are cradled.

FIG. 9 shows the various regions of the base part discussed above, withc¹ denoting the central area of the major recess 19, c² the central areaof the minor recesses and p² the highest point of a major buttress orroll.

A load moving in the horizontal plane from A to B will encounterprogressively increasing vertical and horizontal plane counterforces byvirtue of the narrowing of minor recess c², the main buttresses outlineshape and convexity, together with the minor buttress, actingsynergistically. Similar counter-forces also act on a load moving in thedirection A-C. The possibility of excessive arcuate movements of thehead and neck is reduced by the synergistic actions of roll, buttressesand recesses.

Considering a section through a minor recess, e.g. line B-A, there is agradual increase of `pad` thickness towards the sides of the pillow andalso towards the front and rear rolls. This results in pad counterforcesgradually increasing towards the periphery. The major recess areas bothhave a reducing volume towards both the sides and the front and rearrolls.

The cradling effect of the minor recesses is further enhanced by theiropposing configuration. A load applied in the region of an upper surfaceminor recess will result in depression of the intervening pad and itsperipheral portion, viz. the minor buttress, towards the surface of thebed or other supporting surface. Further application of load will resultin vertical compression of the pad material itself. The gradualprogressive cradling effect of the lower surface minor recess can befurther enhanced if it has an asymmetrical shape compared to itsopposite surface minor recess. The laterally moving load in such a casehas, for example, a relatively greater volume of lower surface minorrecess to obliterate, resulting in a more gradual, progressive cradlingeffect. Similar principles apply to all other recesses, including upperand lower surface major recesses.

The front and rear rolls have a specific shape and function, i.e. thecurvature of the front roll/plan view, the straight rear roll and thetaper of both rolls from their mid points towards their lateral limitsat their junctions with the minor recesses. In plan view the front rolltapers asymmetrically. Only the medial (inner) border of the rear rolltapers. In front elevation the front/rear roll may taper towards itslateral limits symmetrically or asymmetrically.

The rolls provide a progressively reducing counterforce to the head andneck towards their lateral limits, particularly during arcuate movementsof the head and neck towards a minor recess. This reducing counterforceis balanced by an increasing counterforce of the centripetal part of theside buttress and then the front buttress. As previously described,cradling of the head and neck occurs by synergism between roll, buttress(front and side) and the minor recesses thus reducing the possibility ofthe head moving beyond the front or side limits of the pillow,particularly during sound sleep.

The symmetrical nature of the pillow makes it relatively easy tomanufacture. However as mentioned it could be produced by adheringtogether two identical halves as shown in FIG. 10. Additionally one halfcould be made deeper than the other. In an alternative embodiment, thelower half of the underpillow has secured, preferably adhered, to itsnon-recessed flat upper surface the flat base surface of a top parthaving a wholly smooth upper, outer surface. With such a constructionthe cradling effect is carried out by the undersurface of the pillow.The upper half of the pillow, i.e. the part with the smooth uppersurface, would be moulded in latex material of a density less than thatof the lower half, so that the top half would provide sufficient `give`to accommodate natural deformation of the top pillow.

Small, circular section relief holes can be provided, for softeningpurposes, in the six buttresses and in the middle sections of the rolls17, 18 as shown in FIG. 9 if required. If the underpillow is a one-piecemoulding the holes would be open at one or both of the upper and lowersurfaces of the underpillow, but if made in two halves, each relief holecould be formed by respective semi-circular recesses in the flatsurfaces of each half to be adhered together, so that an internalspherical relief space is formed in the finished article.

Thus in summary the underpillow of the invention:

i) provides correct support for the head and neck of a user during sleepand therefore improves sleeping comfort for all users of all ages. Thepillow does not seek to position the head in a central fixed position bya central recess totally surrounded by raised portions;

ii) is of special benefit to people who complain of a stiff, painfulneck and shoulders and associated headache on awakening. Correct supportof the head and neck during sleep avoids overstretching of muscles,tendons and ligaments and also reduces the risk of aggravating anyunderlying osteoarthritis in cervical vertebrae, disc prolapse and/orcervical nerve root pressure;

iii) reduces the risk to the user of developing the sleep apnoeasyndrome.

We claim:
 1. A pillow having an upper outer surface, a lower outersurface, said upper and lower surfaces are on opposite sides of a plane,and at least one peripheral outer surface therebetween, at least one ofsaid upper outer surface and lower outer surface having a large centralrecessed area one of said upper outer surface and lower outer surfacealso including two first buttress portions at opposing sides withrespect to said recessed area and extending to said at least oneperipheral outer surface, a first pair of second buttress portions, eachof said second buttress portions extending to said at least oneperipheral outer surface and disposed adjacent to one of said firstbuttress portions and further recessed area means for spacing said oneof said first buttress portions from said second buttress portions, saidrecessed area means extending from said central recessed area to said atleast one peripheral outer surface, further including a second pair ofsecond buttress portions, said further recessed area means includingfirst and second pairs of further recessed areas, wherein said firstpair of said second buttress portions is located adjacent to and onopposite sides of said one of said first buttress portions and spacedfrom said one of said first buttress portions by said first pair of saidfurther recessed areas, and said second pair of said second buttressportions is located adjacent to and on opposite sides of the other ofsaid first buttress portions and spaced from said other of said firstbuttress portions by said second pair of further recessed areas.
 2. Apillow as claimed in claim 1, wherein between adjacent ones of the twopairs of second buttress portions respectively are respective minorbuttress portions.
 3. A pillow as claimed in claim 2, wherein betweeneach minor buttress portion and an adjacent second buttress portion is aminor recess area extending from said central recessed area to said atleast one peripheral outer surface.
 4. A pillow as claimed in claim 2,wherein each side or minor buttress portion is of tapering shape towardsthe central recessed area, reducing in width, in the plane of thepillow.
 5. A pillow as claimed in claim 4, which is asymmetric about aplane mid-way between its upper and lower surfaces by virtue only ofside buttress portions on the lower surface being less wide than sidebuttress portions on the upper surface respectively.
 6. A pillow asclaimed in claim 1 wherein respective boundaries of each of the firstand second buttress portions with said central recessed area aregenerally convex in the plane of the pillow.
 7. A pillow as claimed inclaim 1, formed in one piece.
 8. A pillow as claimed in claim 7, mouldedfrom latex material.
 9. A pillow as claimed in claim 1, formed by twohalves being adhered together.
 10. A pillow as claimed in claim 9,comprised of a first half and a second half, said halves moulded fromlatex material being adhered together.
 11. A pillow having an upperouter surface, a lower outer surface, said upper and lower surfaces areon opposite sides of a plane, and at least one peripheral outer surfacetherebetween, at least one of said upper outer surface and lower outersurface having a large central recessed area one of said upper outersurface and lower outer surface also including two first buttressportions at opposing sides with respect to said recessed area andextending to said at least one peripheral outer surface, a first pair ofsecond buttress portions, each of said second buttress portionsextending to said at least one peripheral outer surface and disposedadjacent to one of said first buttress portions and further recessedarea means for spacing said one of said first buttress portions fromsaid second buttress portions, said recessed area means extending fromsaid central recessed area to said at least one peripheral outersurface, wherein said pillow is of rectangular configuration, havinglonger front and rear peripheral outer surfaces, and shorter peripheralouter side surfaces, said first buttress portions being formed byrespective front and rear rolls which define said front and rearperipheral outer surfaces respectively, each of said front and rearrolls also partly defining at its respective opposite ends secondbuttress portions in the form of corner buttresses, each corner buttressbeing spaced from its adjacent first buttress portion by a furtherrecessed area in the form of a minor recess.
 12. A pillow as claimed inclaim 11, wherein respective side rolls define said shorter peripheralside surfaces and partly define said corner buttresses.
 13. A pillow asclaimed in claim 12, wherein formed as part of said side rolls arerespective minor or side buttress portions, each disposed centrallybetween corner buttresses of the front and rear rolls respectively. 14.A pillow as claimed in claim 13, wherein between each side buttressportion and an adjacent corner buttress is a minor recess extending fromsaid central recessed area to a side surface.
 15. A pillow as claimed inclaim 13, wherein the first buttress portions, the corner buttresses andthe side buttress portions are all at the same height at the peripheralsurfaces of the pillow and all slope towards the central recessed area.16. A pillow as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the front and rearrolls is of ovoid transverse cross-section.
 17. A pillow having an upperouter surface, a lower outer surface, said upper and lower surfaces areon opposite sides of a plane, and at least one peripheral outer surfacetherebetween, at least one of said upper outer surface and lower outersurface having a large central recessed area one of said upper outersurface and lower outer surface also including two first buttressportions at opposing sides with respect to said recessed area andextending to said at least one peripheral outer surface, a first pair ofsecond buttress portions, each of said second buttress portionsextending to said at least one peripheral outer surface and disposedadjacent to one of said first buttress portions and further recessedarea means for spacing said one of said first buttress portions fromsaid second buttress portions, said recessed area means extending fromsaid central recessed area to said at least one peripheral outersurface, wherein there is a central recessed area in each of the upperand lower surfaces respectively, said central recessed areas at least ina partly overlapping relationship in a direction perpendicular to saidsurfaces.
 18. A pillow as claimed in claim 17, which is symmetricalabout a plane mid-way between its upper and lower surfaces.
 19. A pillowhaving an upper outer surface, a lower outer surface, said upper andlower surfaces are on opposite sides of a plane, and at least oneperipheral outer surface therebetween, at least one of said upper outersurface and lower outer surface having a large central recessed area oneof said upper outer surface and lower outer surface also including twofirst buttress portions at opposing sides with respect to said recessedarea and extending to said at least one peripheral outer surface, afirst pair of second buttress portions, each of said second buttressportions extending to said at least one peripheral outer surface anddisposed adjacent to one of said first buttress portions and furtherrecessed area means for spacing said one of said first buttress portionsfrom said second buttress portions, said recessed area means extendingfrom said central recessed area to said at least one peripheral outersurface, wherein there are respective first buttress portions on saidupper and lower surfaces respectively, the lower first buttress portionbeing of shorter length than the upper first buttress portion.
 20. Apillow having an upper outer surface, a lower outer surface, said upperand lower surfaces are on opposite sides of a plane, and at least oneperipheral outer surface therebetween, at least one of said upper outersurface and lower outer surface having a large central recessed area oneof said upper outer surface and lower outer surface also including twofirst buttress portions at opposing sides with respect to said recessedarea and extending to said at least one peripheral outer surface, afirst pair of second buttress portions, each of said second buttressportions extending to said at least one peripheral outer surface anddisposed adjacent to one of said first buttress portions and furtherrecessed area means for spacing said one of said first buttress portionsfrom said second buttress portions, said recessed area means extendingfrom said central recessed area to said at least one peripheral outersurface, said pillow further comprising a base part and a top part, thebase part having a central recessed area in its lower surface only, anda non-recessed upper surface, said top part having a non-recessed lowersurface to which said non-recessed upper surface of the base part issecured, said top part having a wholly smooth outer surface.
 21. Apillow as claimed in claim 20, wherein the top part is moulded of latexmaterial of a density less than that of the base part.
 22. A pillowhaving an upper outer surface, a lower outer surface, said upper andlower surfaces are on opposite sides of a plane, and at least oneperipheral outer surface therebetween, at least one of said upper outersurface and lower outer surface having a large central recessed area oneof said upper outer surface and lower outer surface also including twofirst buttress portions at opposing sides with respect to said recessedarea and extending to said at least one peripheral outer surface, afirst pair of second buttress portions, each of said second buttressportions extending to said at least one peripheral outer surface anddisposed adjacent to one of said first buttress portions and furtherrecessed area means for spacing said one of said first buttress portionsfrom said second buttress portions, said recessed area means extendingfrom said central recessed area to said at least one peripheral outersurface, wherein relief holes are provided in at least one of the upperand lower surfaces, at positions other than in the or each centralrecessed area.
 23. A pillow having an upper outer surface, a lower outersurface, said upper and lower surfaces are on opposite sides of a plane,and at least one peripheral outer surface therebetween, at least one ofsaid upper outer surface and lower outer surface having a large centralrecessed area one of said upper outer surface and lower outer surfacealso including two first buttress portions at opposing sides withrespect to said recessed area and extending to said at least oneperipheral outer surface, a first pair of second buttress portions, eachof said second buttress portions extending to said at least oneperipheral outer surface and disposed adjacent to one of said firstbuttress portions and further recessed area means for spacing said oneof said first buttress portions from said second buttress portions, saidrecessed area means extending from said central recessed area to said atleast one peripheral outer surface, wherein said pillow is ofrectangular configuration, having front and rear peripheral outersurfaces, and peripheral outer side surfaces, said first buttressportions being formed by respective front and rear rolls which definessaid front and rear peripheral outer surfaces respectively, each of saidfront and rear rolls also partly defining at its respective oppositeends second buttress portions in the form of corner buttresses, eachcorner buttress being spaced from its adjacent first buttress portion bya further recessed area is in the form of a minor recess.